In celebration of the 150th anniversary of college football, ESPN has compiled a list of the 150 greatest players in the history of the sport–a list compiled by a panel of 150 media members, college administrators, former players and former coaches.

Included on that list are a trio of former Tar Heel greats, linebacker Lawrence Taylor, defensive end Julius Peppers and running back Charlie “Choo-Choo” Justice.

Taylor was ranked No. 42 on the list, while Peppers was No. 104 and Justice was No. 133.

In 1980, Taylor set a UNC record with 16 sacks that season on his way to unanimous All-American honors and the ACC Player of the Year award. That season was also the last time the Tar Heels won the ACC championship.

Peppers, meanwhile, led the FBS in sacks in 2000 and would also become a unanimous All-American the next year in 2001. He also averaged 1.9 tackles for loss per game, a mark that still ranks second all-time in FBS history.

Justice–who has a statue outside of Kenan Stadium–was UNC’s original football superstar, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race in both 1948 and 1949. With 4,871 yards of total offense for his career, Justice was also a two-time All-American. In his honor, the 22-yard lines at Kenan Stadium are painted Carolina blue.

 

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Dead Man Walking?
With Hubert Davis dismissed, no seat will be hotter in Chapel Hill than UNC head football coach Bill Belichick’s this fall.
Chansky's Notebook: 'We Have Our Team Now'
Bill Belichick spoke to the media at the Kenan Football Center Tuesday as UNC opened its spring practice season.
Chansky's Notebook: Mack is Back (Again)
Mack Brown's midcourt ceremony at the Smith Center Monday night was a satisfying end to what had been an awkward UNC football saga.
Here's a List of Which Transfers Have Committed to UNC Football in 2026
The college football transfer portal opened Friday, Jan. 2 and closed Friday, Jan. 16. Here’s a list of players who have committed to head coach Bill Belichick and UNC out of the portal so far, with their classes for the 2026 season: QB Billy Edwards, Jr. (Most recent school: Wisconsin, redshirt senior) Ranked 3rd in […]
Tributes Pour In After James Spurling, Director of Kenan Stadium, Dies at 68
James Spurling, who served as the Director of Kenan Stadium and the Kenan Football Center in the heart of the UNC campus since 2006 and had been a Chapel Hill staple for many years prior, died Thursday. He was 68 years old. Tributes flooded in from across the Chapel Hill and UNC sports communities following […]
Financial Report Shows UNC Athletics Operated at $15 Million Deficit in 2024-25 Year
The newest financial report from the UNC athletic department to the NCAA shows the department operated at a deficit of more than $15 million during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The department reported revenues of $172,951,034 and reported expenses of $187,967,260. The UNC athletic department had operated at a profit in each of the past three […]
'Hard to Imagine': Newmark, Lombardi, Others Share Disbelief at Bill Belichick Hall of Fame Vote
UNC football general manager Michael Lombardi and athletic-director-in-waiting Steve Newmark were among many sports figures to share their disappointment and surprise at reports that head coach Bill Belichick was not voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot. An ESPN report published Tuesday night indicated Belichick, currently between his first and […]
Chansky's Notebook: Sophomore Slippage
UNC's schedule for the 2026 football season is out, and Art Chansky says it is very, very bad news for Bill Belichick's second year.
Schedule Set for UNC Football's 2026 Season
The UNC football program now has its complete schedule for the 2026 season. The ACC revealed all of the league members’ schedules Monday night. Your 2026 North Carolina Football Schedule. 🐏 🔗: https://t.co/VQdkI47r8n🎟️: https://t.co/XERIbvZEH8 pic.twitter.com/6Zb5uSn1y3 — Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) January 26, 2026 UNC will open the season in Dublin, Ireland against TCU as part of […]
Several UNC Football Stars Will Return to Chapel Hill in 2026. Here's the Full List.
In an era of unrestricted player movement in college football, teams are undergoing radical changes every offseason. Take UNC before the 2025 season, when the Tar Heels upended their roster and brought in 70 new players. This offseason, there is only one transfer portal window, between Jan. 2 and Jan. 16. More than two dozen […]
›